The present invention relates to the construction of a plastic shutter louver.
Louvered shutters are becoming more and more popular as window coverings. When these shutters were first introduced to the marketplace, they were generally made from wood. The main body of the louvers had a solid one piece construction. This construction presented a very neat appearance.
More recently, plastics material has been used to make louvered shutters. When working with plastics, the main body of the louver is cut from a longer generally hollow extrusion leaving the opposite ends of the louver body open. The open ends are then closed with end caps.
In accordance with conventional practice, the outside edge of the end cap rests against the end edge of the main body of the louver leaving end seams which are visible from the front and back faces of the louver. These end seams can be quite noticeable and without extremely accurate quality control can in fact be seen as gaps between the end of the louver and the end caps. These conventional plastic louvers do not therefore leave the neat appearance of the older wooden louvers.
The present invention provides a plastic louver assembly which eliminates visible seams along the front and back faces of the louver. More particularly, a plastic louver made in accordance with the present invention comprises a main louver body and end caps which are made separately from the louver body. The louver body, before receiving the end caps has open ends, each of which is defined by a surrounding mouth wall and each end cap has an end face which is bordered by an outside edge wall. The end caps are fitted into the louver ends such that the outside edge walls of the end caps are positioned interiorly of the louver end mouth walls.
In a preferred construction, the end face of the cap is flat and flush with the end of the louver body giving the louver a wooden construction appearance while still having the beneficial plastic properties.
With the above assembly, there are no seams or gaps presented from either the back or the front face of the louver between the main louver body and the louver caps.